


30 kisses

by Sebastians_senpai



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 30 Kisses, Angst, Coma, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hospital, Kisses, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:03:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sebastians_senpai/pseuds/Sebastians_senpai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Oikawa ends up in a coma due to a severe asthmatic episode and doesn't seem to be responsive after months, his deadline is cut to 30 days before they pull the plug.</p><p>Iwaizumi does the last thing he hopes will work, and gives Oikawa a kiss each day in his countdown.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30 kisses

**Author's Note:**

> un beta'd, enjoy and please don't mind any mistakes, Please review, this is my first IwaOi fic 
> 
> I FIXED IT THERE WAS A WEIRD ERROR WHEN I POSTED AND MY PARAGRAPHS WENT ALL WONKY SORRY

Oikawa's eyes were forced open as he awoke during the night, and he looked around his room, confused, trying to ignore how the colours were blending together as he struggled to recognize his surroundings. He attempted to sit up, opening his mouth to speak, and was made painfully aware of the burning starting in his lungs. He raised a pale hand to his chest, choking out a gasp as he felt his chest tighten, a sharp pain shooting up his spine. Tooru coughed, but it sounded more like a series of small gasps as the little air he had left in his lungs refused to leave. He pounded on his chest, scrambling on his bed as he suddenly became aware of what was happening: he was having an asthma attack.

His heart felt like it was being squeezed in his chest, a huge fist that threatened to pop it completely. Oikawa flung himself off the bed, the only noise able to leave his throat a small, weak whistle of breath, barely enough to inflate his chest. He could feel the burn now, feel the ache in his lungs and the swell of his throat as his body was starved of oxygen for even longer. He gritted his teeth, forcing his lethargic limbs to push him to the other end of his room. He had an inhaler in here somewhere, where the fuck had he put it? It had been so long since he'd had an attack, he'd assumed he was in the clear and chucked it aside whenever he cleaned his room. He needed to find that puffer and fast. His hands ripped through drawers, flinging clothes and bottles of cologne and aftershave off his dresser with his wild movements. He had to hurry, he could feel the ache in his throat from the swelling, the breaths leaving his throat raspy and weaker by the second. His head was starting to hurt, the build up of pressure seeming to rake through his body as his cells started to die without oxygen. 

Oikawa grunted, cursing the fact he was in alone. His parents had left to go visit his grandmother, and he decided to stay behind so as not to miss any volleyball practice, with nationals drawing so close. Normally Iwaizumi would stay with him, but the latter had refused in order to prep for a big test he had coming up, claiming that Oikawa would 'just distract him'. He swept his hands through the drawers again before giving up, tears spilling out his eyes. His throat hitched, and the edges of his vision were starting to go fuzzy as he went longer and longer without air. Deciding to abandon the inhaler, Oikawa crawled along the floor back to his phone, his limbs refusing to coordinate, as if they weren't even his. He outstretched his hand, finger touching the edges of his phone before he collapsed, his body hitting the carpet of his room with a slump. The phone landed next to him, screen unlocked, showing a picture of him and Iwaizumi from their trip to the cinema just days before. Iwaizumi for once wasn't scowling in it, as Tooru had surprised him with the photo, and the gentle lift of his lips and gaze in his eyes as he stared at Tooru was the side of Iwaizumi that Oikawa loved to see. He stared at it until he couldn't see anymore, black spots clouding over his vision as he lay, limbs twitching uselessly. 

_At least the last thing I get to see is Iwa-chan._

His vision went completely black, and he passed out, nothingness claiming him. 

\----

Iwaizumi sat bolt upright in bed, a cold sweat rolling down his body. He frowned, trying to calm his beating heart as he grabbed his phone, checking the time. 3:15am. Why had he woken up? He stared at the device, eyes lingering on Tooru's smiling face; he liked the photo due to it being Oikawa's real smile, not the fake plastic one that stretched his cheeks too high. This was the smile had with Iwaizumi, and it belonged all to him. He clutched the phone in his hand, uneasiness settling over him. He was not one to wake up during the night, and yet he knew that he wouldn't be able to settle-something didn't feel right. He opened his phone and clicked open Oikawa's profile. He decided to call first-beating down the guilt that he'd have woken up the older boy from his precious beauty sleep- just to make sure things were okay. This was the first night Tooru's parents had left and he wasn't staying over, so he couldn't help but feel as if something was off. 

The phone rang, but nobody answered. Iwaizumi frowned at that- Oikawa always answered. His phone was always plugged in, turned on loud, and even had a special ringtone especially for Iwaizumi( a thing that had embarrassed him to no end). He tried again, worry starting to seep through him. Oikawa was a light sleeper who woke up at the slightest sound, surely he'd wake up to answer his phone. When the second call wasn't answered, Iwaizumi pushed his legs out of bed and stood, stretching to ease the cracks from his bones. He grabbed a t-shirt that was lying on his bed room floor and shoved it on, ignoring that it was in need of a wash. He just had to go check on Oikawa, just drop in and spend the rest of the night there. Something wasn't right and he wouldn't feel better until he'd checked that Tooru was in fact, fine and just sleeping. He picked up his keys from a hook on the wall, thumbing the one to Tooru's house, and pulled on his shoes. As he closed the door behind him, still mindful of his own sleeping family, he set off in a jog towards Oikawa's house, thankful that they were only a block away. 

As he began to draw closer, the sense of panic that had settled in his stomach spiked, and he sucked in a breath. Something was definitely wrong, he had to go see Tooru. Iwaizumi broke into a sprint, reaching Tooru's door in less that thirty seconds. He forced the key in, cursing at his shaking hands for their failed attempts before he finally got it in, and pushed the door open. He flung himself up the stairs, his feet knowing the path to Oikawa's room as if it was his own. He opened the door, panting. "Oikawa?"

That's when he saw it. The mess on the floor, the empty bed, and his boyfriends crumpled body lying on the floor, unmoving. Iwaizumi cursed as he felt the blood still in his veins, a sense of dread spreading through him. He immediately dropped to his knees, hands on Tooru's face, shaking gently. "Oikawa! Oikawa! Tooru, please! Open your eyes!" 

When Tooru's face remained lifeless in his hands, Iwaizumi ran his hands through his hair, panic hitching the breaths in his throat. His strong hands lifted Tooru to him as he listened for breath, only to hear no such sounds. Iwaizumi could feel the tears slip down his face, but he couldn't pay attention to them right now. He pulled his phone from his pocket and called for an ambulance, his hands shaking as much as his voice. 

"Hell? I need an ambulance as fast as you can, m-my boyfriend's not breathing and I-I don't know how long he's been like this. I think he's had an asthma attack." Iwaizumi forced the words past his lips, trying to keep his hand still enough to hold the phone to his ear, the other combing through Oikawa's impossibly soft curls. He rattled off Oikawa's address, and listened to the woman's calm tone telling him to find Oikawa's puffer immediately and pull him into a sitting position. He set the phone on loud speaker, momentarily leaving Oikawa on the floor as he ran to the other side of the room, eyes scanning the mess of clothes and beauty products. 

"You tried to look for it, oh my God, Oikawa..." He gulped, wiping his eyes free of tears. He reached into the box that he puts Oikawa's inhaler in every time he's over, since the brunette was prone to leaving it lying on the floor and under his bed, and clasped his hands around the cool metal and plastic, relief flowing through his system, short lived as it was.

_'You need to watch this, Shittykawa. What if you need it? I'm putting it in this box, alright?"  
"You know I haven't had an attack in ages Iwa-chan. Just put it wherever you want."_

Iwaizumi gulped and ran back to Tooru, listening to the instructions. He pulled the tall boy into his lap, sitting him upright. He combed through Oikawa's hair with one hand, and held the inhaler with the other, and held it to his lips, shaking him gently. "Oikawa, I've got your inhaler. C'mon, Tooru, just open up, wake up, I-it;s right here, come _on_

"If he's not conscious now then CPR must be performed." The woman stated. "Lay him down in his back and tilt his head back to clean his airways. Keep his hands at his side and start compressions on his chest. Place the heel of your hand on the breastbone at the centre of his chest. Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers. Position yourself with your shoulders above your hands. Using your body weight, press straight down on their chest. Keeping your hands on their chest, release the compression and allow the chest to return to its original position. Do this thirty times, then two respiratory breaths."

Iwaizumi nodded and began the compressions on Oikawa's chest, biting his lip as the tears trickled down his cheeks and onto the fabric of his shirt. He counted to thirty, trying to ignore the way Oikawa looked as if he was a puppet with no life, before tilting his head, pinching his nose closed, and pushing as much air as he could into his mouth. He could see the rise and fall of Oikawa's chest through his peripheral vision, but he knew it was only because of him. Iwaizumi locked his lack and continued to pump on his chest and fill his lungs until the ambulance came, and the paramedics hands swiped his away to take over. They worked so fast, machines and bags and wires everywhere as they shouted things too complicated for Hajime to understand. He suddenly felt lost as sea, watching the swarm of professionals swoop in and take Oikawa right from his grasp, leaving him with nothing to do but stand and watch it happen, like a stranger looking in. 

"You, what's your name?" One of the medics asked him, and Iwaizumi's pale face lifted to meet his eyes. 

"Iwaizumi Hajime."

"This boy's full name?"

"Oikawa Tooru."

What age is he? We had information on an asthma attack, could you brief me on his asthmatic medical history?"

Iwaizumi gulped, and nodded, begging his mind to stay focused. "He's seventeen. He was diagnosed with asthma since birth, had three flare ups as bad as these at the ages of five, nine and twelve. He hasn't suffered any major attack since then apart from this. He hasn't been using his inhaler regularly because he didn't think he'd need it. I-I think he had a bronchodilator when he was younger, but after the bad attacks he moved on to a steroid inhaler after that, but stopped using it. H-here, it's this one." Iwaizumi shoved the inhaler into the man's hand, who inspected the medication information on the back. 

"This medication is quite strong. You say the symptoms of his asthma had died down since twelve?"

Iwaizumi nodded. "A lot. He's a volleyball player, he's soon to be scouted. It's been so long since I've seen him use an inhaler, he never brings one to practice or to the court. I-I thought he was fie. He is fine, isn't he? You're going to be able to fix him?"

The man drew a look back, watching as they began carrying Oikawa downstairs, and he turned and signaled for Iwaizumi to come with him. He kept his tone unwavering, Iwaizumi presuming it was to keep him calm. He was slightly thankful for that. "His lungs may have settled down over the years, but he's still liable to suffer from attacks. The symptoms must've died down considerably for him to assume he shouldn't need an inhaler anymore. I promise we'll do everything we can to get him alright."

As they reached the ambulance, Iwaizumi watched them wheel Oikawa in the back doors, and he stretched out his hand. "Please, let me go with him."

The man nodded and Iwaizumi stepped in, forced to watch as they hooked Oikawa up to some sort of machine, masks and tuber covering his body. He stood in the one free space next to him, clutching Tooru's long calloused hand in his, trying to ignore how cold it was. "It's alright, Oikawa. They've got you now, you'll be fine. You'll be fine, you idiot. We've just got to get to the hospital and then you can open your eyes."

He muttered it to himself like a mantra, rubbing his thumb of Oikawa's hand, praying harder than he ever had before that his best friend would pull through. 

Iwaizumi sat on the cold plastic of a hospital seat, locked outside Oikawa's room. He wasn't immediate family and couldn't enter unless given permission from Oikawa or his parents, and so, after contacting them and his own parents, he waited for them to arrive back. He was thankful that Tooru's grandmother only lived an hour and a half away, and braced his head on his hands while he waited. It felt like years, sitting there and not knowing. The love of his life, that stupid arrogant smug brilliant idiot on the other side of the door with doctors rushed all round him, could be dying and he didn't know. 

_No. Shut up. Tooru's not dying, he's fine and he'll make it._

Iwaizumi wasn't proud of the new wave of tears that spilled over onto his cheeks then, as even the voice of reason in his head faltered at the thought of loosing Oikawa. He couldn't focus on anything, and yet he was hearing absolutely everything. The tick of the clock, the muttering of nurses as they walked by him, seemingly unknowing or uncaring to his own life problems as they went on to fix another patient. He could hear the squeak of shoes on linoleum floors, the heavy swing of doors as carts were pushed through and children ran on the ward, chased by a chastising looking mother. He could hear doctors talk about how bad the night shift was, what they were watching last night, what they had for lunch as they walked side by side down the corridor, and Hajime had to swallow the fit of rage that threatened to fill him- how could these people act so normal when behind that door his boyfriend couldn't even breathe?

Eventually, he felt the warmth of a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see the soft brown eyes of Tooru's mother, which were currently as tear filled as his.

"Hajime." She said softly, moving to cup his face. 

Hajime leaned into the touch, biting back a sob. "They won't let me in. The doctor's face, he keeps pulling this face, but he can't speak to me and he won't let me in and I just, I-"

"Shh, Hajime." She wrapped her arms around the boy who'm she'd grown to love like a second son, rubbing her palms across his broad back. She kissed his cheek,her own breath hitched. "It's alright, We'll go in together now, I'll tell the doctor you're allowed in whenever you want. Tooru loves you so much you're basically already family."

This was confirmed with a pat to the back from Oikawa's father, a tall man with curly hair. The three of them stood and turned when Oikawa's doctor exited his room, face pulled in a taunt line. "I need to speak with Tooru's parents. Please step inside."

"Hajime may come also." His mother said, nodding. "We give permission for him to be with Tooru as much as possible."

The doctor studied Iwaizumi, then sighed and nodded, leading them back into the room. He let them flit around Oikawa, who was strapped up to numerous machines, his mouth covered with a mask, tubes down his throat and into his nose, fluid dripping into his arm. He looked more bandaged and bruised than Iwaizumi had ever seen him, and he ached to just hold him until those eyelids opened and he could see the soft chocolate brown iris' once again. 

"Oh, Tooru, oh my baby..." She crooned, crying heavier, She smoothed back his hair, her hands nervous and flitting, as if looking for a patch of skin that wasn't assaulted with wires. "What's happening with him?"

The doctor cleared his throat. "Well, it appears that he had an asthma attack during the night, a very serious one. His bronchi are incredibly inflamed, his throat is inflamed, and he went without oxygen for a very long time. It appears that no inhalers were administered during or after the attack, but CPR was carried out."

Iwaizumi nodded. "Yeah. I gave him the CPR, the woman said the inhaler was useless if he was passed out. I-I'm always telling him that he shouldn't leave that stupid inhaler on the floor, I say to him every time that I'm putting it in the box. But he never paid attention. H didn't think he needed it, and he just, he just-" Iwaizumi took a steadying breath, trying to sort his emotions. "He couldn't find it."

Oikawa's mother wrapped an arm around him, squeezing Hajime to her side. "How did you know to go check on him? I thought you weren't staying?"

Iwaizumi leaned into her touch, ignoring the shaking of his hands. "I don't know. I woke up and I felt uneasy, and I called him twice, but he didn't answer. He always answers, so I knew something was wrong. I ran all the way to your house."

The doctor tapped his pen against the clipboard, face pulling tight at whatever was written there before he looked up. "If it wasn't for the ambulance call and the CPR, he wouldn't have even made it here alive."

Tooru's mother sobbed then, wrapping both arms around Iwaizumi to pull him close. She kissed his skin, fingers wearing into his spiky black hair. "Hajime, thankyou. Thankyou so so much for saving my baby. Thankyou."

Oikawa's father wrapped an arm around them both, his voice gruff. "Thankyou, son."

The doctor cleared his throat. "However, that doesn't mean that Tooru's current condition is particularly good either."

He immediately had their attention. 

"Due to lack of oxygen for a prolonged time, with no inhaler use, Tooru suffered some serious damage. He's currently in a state called status asthmaticus, which means he no longer responds to bronchodilators. To halt the attack, we've given him leukotriene inhibitors, to ease the inflammation of his throat and lungs. We tried to regulate his breathing with epinephrine, but his body has rejected it, which is why he's currently hooked up to ventilation system." He turned to look Tooru's mother in the eye. "We have him hooked up to Magnesium sulphate in that IV there. His brain is in serious oxygen debt, Mrs Oikawa. His condition right now is life threatening"

She stared back at him, her words quiet, as if she didn't quite hear him. "Life threatening?"

"I'm afraid so. With such prolonged oxygen debt, I'm sorry to say that Tooru has went into a comatose state. Right now his body is unable to manage on it's own. That machine there is what's allowing him to breathe right now, and will do until the foreseeable future. I'm sorry."

Iwaizumi felt as if his word stopped in that moment. He lifted his head, the words running around in his min again and again, but still he couldn't grasp them. "What do you mean? He's going to be fine, you just have to fix him! Just fix him! That's your job!"

"If we take Tooru off ventilation now, he will die." The man said simply. There was no maliciousness in his voice; only truth. "His body is too weak, and we can't know for sure if it'll recover from it. For now, he will be in a coma. Should any changes occur in the future we may be able to take him off. Should his development stay the same, then I'll urge you to consider the options you have."

Tooru's mother raised her head, vicious tears streaking her face. "What options? There's only one, and that is keeping my baby hooked up to this until he wakes up!" 

"Sweetheart." Tooru's dad reached out softly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling him back against his chest. He kissed the top of her head, murmuring in her ear until her anger dissipated and she was left heaving ugly sobs into her hands. "It's alright, it's going to be okay."

"My baby, he's only seventeen..." She wailed. "He has to wake up."

This time it was Iwaizumi who spoke, his voice more certain that it had been all night. He took her hand in one of his, and squeezed it. "He will wake up. Oikawa Tooru does not give up. Never has, and never will."

Tooru's dad managed a small chuckle at that. "That's true. If anyone can pull through it, it's him."

The doctor smiled then, checking the clipboard before heading for the door. "At least he's alive. He still has a chance to recover, by all means. I have to leave now, but I'll make daily checkups. Visiting hours are nine till five, and only one guest may stay per night. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to find me. My name is doctor Onodera, by the way. Anyway, I'll leave you with him for now."

\---

The next weeks went by in a blur. Iwaizumi took some time off school, and spent every moment possible with Tooru. They had taken the nights in turn, sleeping in the hard chairs next to him when there was a shortage of extra beds, but after the time Oikawa's parents were allowed off work was up, he became the only one who stayed. They couldn't afford his hospital bills unless they worked, and his mother refused to use his university funding to pay for it. She'd been adamant that he's wake up and need it, and his father had steadily agreed. Iwaizumi felt relieved to be with him every night. He would continuously sit by his bed, holding his hand and talking to him, perfectly normal as if Oikawa was going to whine and pout at something he said. Oikawa's face would remain slack each time however, no indication he could even hear Iwaizumi, but he had to try- after all, Tooru would never give up on him. He told him about Kindaichi and Kunimi, and read aloud their texts for him to hear. He would tell him about things Hanamacki did or something funny Mattsun said, just anything he could think of to let Oikawa know he was here with him. He would hold his hand, raising the pale skin to his face each day as he gave a heavy inhale, the seriousness of the situation  
beginning to creep up on him.

Sometimes the team would come visit, and they'd all speak to him, most of them forcing humour out through pale tight lips as they watched their captain defenseless on the bed. No wide remarks from those pouted lips, no blinding smiles or quips about them not practicing. Iwaizumi hadn't even showed up to practice since it happened, and the team had just fizzled out in worry. They withdrew from any upcoming games, and spent their days just passing the ball around meekly in the gym hall, all of their minds focusing on the one thing: Oikawa. 

It was at night, when he was lying uncomfortably squashed on a slim hospital bed with Oikawa cradled so carefully to his chest that Hajime really spoke to him though. 

He ran his fingers through the soft hair, pressing his lips to Oikawa's temple. "This is so hard, Oikawa. It's so hard." Of course there was no reply, but he continued anyway, his voice as soft as the thumb brushing across Tooru's cheek, mindful of his mask. "I miss you. I know that's dumb, since you're right here, but its been over a month of silence and I just miss you. I miss you wailing 'Iwa-chan' at me. I miss your stupid peace sign. I miss your voice, and your eyes, and I miss kissing you, and I miss you calling me ugly and a brute. I miss you so much, and it fucking hurts. Just come back to me already."

He was met with silence, as usual. 

A month after he'd been admitted, there was still no change to his state, and Iwaizumi could feel the desperation and panic settle in. He scooted Tooru over, mindful of his tubes and wires, and lay down softly next to him, his mind plagued with worries. How long could people be in comas for? Years? He really hoped that Tooru would wake up soon; the thought of having to move on in life and start university and jobs without his best friend at his side was unthinkable. He didn't want a future without Oikawa Tooru in it. 

\---

Two months in and there was still no change. Hajime tried to reassure himself that it was fine, after all, they were in the early days weren't they? He would just have to wait. He'd always waited for Oikawa anyway, ever since they were kids: he waited on him when they went out to play at he wouldn't go near any of the bugs or trees at first because he was too scared; he waited on him when they first started volleyball and Iwaizumi had natural talent and Oikawa had to work hours each day to build up skill; he waited on him when he got his first breakup, and the many that came to follow; he waited on him when he hurt his knee and refused any help or support from Iwaizumi, should it deem him 'weak'. He'd even waited for the setter to ditch the girls and love him back. 

Iwaizumi didn't mind waiting for those things, but with Tooru so vulnerable and detached next to him, he'd never hated waiting more in his life. He wanted him to wake up so bad it hurt. He wanted to be blinded by his 100 watt smile, he wanted to feel his slender arms wrap around his neck and feel those soft lips against his cheek and neck again. He missed the contact. Loosing Oikawa's touchiness was like loosing a limb, and Hajime didn't realise just how much it would _hurt_ to feel so alone. He'd always been the first one to whack Oikawa on the head if he was being clingy, or throw him off to he side when he wouldn't shut up, but he wanted all of those back now. The two months without his insistent chatter and constant presence were the worst moments of Hajime's life, he decided. He'd never felt so empty before, so far away from Tooru as he did when he was right next to him on that hospital bed.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Even when he had to go back to school, he'd get the bus straight to the hospital afterwards and spend all his time there. He'd do his homework whilst sitting on the plastic chair, talking Oikawa through different assessments they'd been given and how he should hurry up and wake up so he doesn't miss out on too many. Even then Tooru remained motionless, the only noise being the beep of his machine as his chest rose and fell softly. Iwaizumi would still chatter though, despite the concept feeling so foreign to him. It was always Oikawa who was the talker, he was the one who was able to shine in the spotlight and easily spout out conversation like he was born for it. Hajime supposed he was. 

Oikawa Tooru was made to travel the world and dazzle people and reach the top, he wasn't ever meant to be stuck in a bed hooked up to machines. 

As night drew upon them, Hajime lay back on the bed and maneuvered Oikawa towards him slightly, taking a deep breath. He frowned when he came back smelling more sterile than his usual scent, but he still buried his nose into his hair. "I'll never leave you, Crappykawa. I'm going to stay in this bed by your side every day till you wake up. I've already spent seventeen years of my life waiting for you, what's a little more?"

As he dozed off to sleep, Hajime let exhaustion take him, and prayed for a dream that took him away from the hospital hell.

\----

Three months in. 

Oikawa's condition had remained the same and Iwaizumi felt the dread pile up inside him more each day. It was a constant routine of IV checks, oxygen levels, ventilation, baths and silence, and he hated it. He tried so many times to wake Oikawa up, to get something that would ignite a spark inside of him and break the silence, but nothing worked. He wouldn't make up for Iwaizumi's pleads, wouldn't open his eyes for the cries of his mother or the jokes of his team mates and friends. Iwaizumi had tried to place a volleyball in his hands, tried to make him remember the passion for playing and nationals and his goal of beating Ushijima. 

"You can do it, Oikawa." He encouraged, lips at his ear as he leaned in. "You just have to wake up. That's all, just open your eyes and wake up."

Alas, the ball had rolled away from his limp hands, and he remained a statue underneath Iwaizumi's gaze again. He never stopped trying though. He would bring him milk bread every day, telling him it was all for him as soon as he woke up. He would rent alien movies and play them for him, explaining what was happening or letting him listen to the sounds. He would even play Oikawa's shitty K-pop to him, the songs played so much that even Iwaizumi was beginning to know the lyrics as time went on. He would bring him things from his room, for comfort. His favourite jumper- a disgusting fashion disaster of red and orange plaid that looked from the 70's- would rest by his face, close enough that he could smell home instead of the overwhelming cleanliness of the hospital. He'd placed Oikawa's favourite plush alien toy right under his arm, and the next day Iwaizumi had brought his own Godzilla plush in to put it under the other. This particular night though, Iwaizumi had taken some small stick on stars and placed them on the ceiling of Tooru's room, the first hint of a smile on his lips in months. 

He snuggled down beside the boy, raking his hands through those curls again, his voice at Oikawa's ear. "Do you remember when we were little and you said you wanted to live in space? You tried to build a rocket and everything, you were so determined. You used to have those little glow in the dark stars stuck to your ceiling, an at night we'd hide under your covers and peek up at them, you remember? I've put some in here, too. Right above you, and they're still as bright as ever, and they're all for you."

He then sighed and settled closer to him, his voice now a soft murmur. "Just open your eyes and you'll see them, Tooru."

\-----

"It's been five months and there's been no change in his development." Doctor Onodera said carefully, guarding his words. "I think now is the time to give a think over your other options. The hospital is unfortunately extremely overcrowded and we don't have beds to spare, so this decision not only reflects Tooru but the treatment of another child. Although I cannot stop you and there's no restriction as to how long you wish to keep him in comatose for, I would urge you professionally to think about cutting Tooru's life support."

Hajime's blood boiled and he stood, already shouting. "No! You can't say that, it's barely been any time! He just needs more time, he'll wake up, he just-"

"Hajime." Oikawa's mother said, her voice quiet. "It's okay. Tooru's father and I have been discussing this for a while now."

"Discussing what? You...you can't be serious? You're not going to take his life support off, are you?" The disbelief and confusion swept through him like a tidal wave, and he felt himself waver. How could they give up on him so easily? Did they not realise the extent of the things he had to do still? He still had a whole future ahead of him, one that Iwaizumi most definitely planned on being a part of. How could they take that away from him?

"We love Tooru. So much. He's our only son after all." She gave a sad chuckle at this, as if she were reminiscing over good times. "But he hasn't improved at all. These facilities, they can help someone else, Hajime. Someone who _will_ wake up."

"But _he_ will wake up! Just give him more time-"

"We can't, sweetheart. We can't. Do you know what it's like to be a mother and see your baby lying there helpless? You can do nothing to fix them, nothing to make them feel better, and you have to watch them suffer and go through it all, barely able to pay the bills to keep him alive. Do you know the guilt I have for leaving? I keep thinking, if I hadn't left, maybe he'd still be here. Maybe he'd be off playing volleyball or with you, instead of lying here completely unable to do anything for himself. That's not how Tooru lives, Hajime, you know this. You know he's so strong and independent, how can I force him to stay in this hospital even longer just for my own selfish needs? Looking at my son on this hospital bed grasping to life is killing me. I feel like a horrible mother and I can't stand to watch my child live like this. He's not Tooru anymore, he's empty. That's not my Tooru."

Iwaizumi didn't know he was crying until her soft fingers wiped the tears away, and she pulled him down into a hug. He choked back a sob, wrapping his arms around her tightly, the second mother who'd shown him nothing but love. He felt ashamed at himself, for not realizing what a strain it was on her as well. He forgot that Oikawa played a main part in more lives than just his. He shook his head slightly, knees buckling. "I-I'm sorry. I was out of line, I never meant to say that. I'm sorry, I-I'm-"

"It's alright, I know. You love him so much, Hajime. He loves you more than life itself. I doubt Tooru could even function without his Iwa-chan."

"I can't live without him." He said, his voice breaking. "I can't do it, Oikawa-san. He's been in my life for so long, I don't know how to live without him. I don't want to try living without him, I don't."

She sighed gently then, and turned to the doctor. "Thirty days."

"Pardon?"

"Give him thirty days. If he doesn't wake up before then, we'll turn ventilation off." Her face crumpled at that, but her voice held strong. 

The doctor nodded and wrote something down, before bowing and walking out the room. 

Hajime turned towards Tooru, a thousand emotions flashing through him at one. Anger? Pain? Regret? Loneliness? Depression? No. Determination. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, setting himself one last challenge with Oikawa Tooru: wake him up in the next thirty days, or loose him forever.

\-----  
Day one. Iwaizumi faced Tooru, and thought about all his other tactics. Talking hadn't worked, their friends hadn't worked, nor did volleyball or his favourite foods. Music and movies didn't rouse him and neither did the small comforts of home Iwaizumi had injected into his hospital life. He braced himself on the bars at the end of the bed, thinking. What did Oikawa love? Aliens, milkbread, volleyball, Iwaizumi. Well, they;d all failed hadn't they? Iwaizumi was about to curse when he thought again. Sure Oikawa loved those things, but what brought that real smile to his face? That one smile that was so tentative, almost shy in its nature, that seemed to amplify Oikawa's beauty a thousand times more? Well, him, of course. Any time he showered Oikawa affection- a rare occurrence considering his boyfriend was a six foot tall bag of dicks most of the time- he'd get that dreamy little smile, and Iwaizumi would be thrown head over heels in love again. That smile was a side of Tooru just for him, and it was the Tooru he loved the most. It was that Tooru that he was going to bring back. 

Iwaizumi cracked his knuckles, then let out a chuckle, the raw laugh sounding foreign in his throat after so much crying. "Listen up, Shittykawa- I know you can hear me. I've got to get you to wake up in the next thirty days, and I'm going to do it. Starting now."

Iwaizumi picked up Tooru's right hand, and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "Only twenty-nine more to go."

The next day Iwaizumi picked up Tooru's other hand, and kissed the same place. He then, over the next four days, kissed both his palms, and one on each wrist. His lips were soft, brushing across his milky skin, avoiding wires and tubes as much as possible so as not to cause him pain. His next two were placed one on each shoulder, landing exactly where his freckles were. He placed the next two on top of his collarbones, using the moment to affectionately nuzzle him.

Ten days down, twenty kisses left. 

He kissed the soft muscle of his stomach next, when changing him after a bath one night. The nurses had shown Iwaizumi what to do in the first month or two, and any initial embarrassment he once felt was flung out the window as he kissed Oikawa's stomach, grinning a little because he knew it was ticklish. "I bet you're kicking up a fuss in there right now." He laughed, letting his fingers trail across the ribs as he dressed him in a new gown. 

The next three kisses were placed on his sore knee, one kiss for each of the places it ached the most. Iwaizumi knew these places exactly after so many years of treating this knee after hours of overexertion in the gym hall. He made sure every day to bend Oikawa's legs and joints to stop him going stiff, knowing what a tantrum he'd pick up when he woke up and couldn't move well. 

Iwaizumi was adamant that he was going to wake up. Life without each other just wasn't a possibility, and he wasn't even going to acknowledge it, especially not with his deadline coming up. Sixteen days left. 

Iwaizumi kissed Tooru's forehead next, before resting his own against it and huffing out a quiet, "I love you." His bouncy curls tickled Iwaizumi's forehead and he scrunched his nose, before smoothing them out the way. "And when you wake up I'm going to headbutt you so hard you'll wish you stayed in the coma."

The next two were on his cheeks, one on each side. His skin was impossibly smooth underneath Iwaizumi's lips, and he sniggered. "See? You don't need seven different types of face cream, Trashykawa. Your skin feels the exact same. "

He kissed Tooru's nose next, a light peck of the tip. He grimaced and shook his head. "That was cheesy as fuck. You better wake up for that, you bastard."

The next two days, Iwaizumi had managed to kiss both Oikawa's closed eyelids, and he swore he could feel a twitch beneath his lips. He pulled back, and rubbed his thumb along Tooru's eyes, catching on his impossibly long lashes. "If you want to see me, just open your eyes. I'm right here, Oikawa. You just have to look."

Ten days left. Ten kisses before Oikawa's life support was unplugged, Iwaizumi steeled his jaw, refusing to think like that. Tooru _would_ wake up. He'd make him. 

He kissed the sensitive spot behind Oikawa's ears the next two days, smiling slightly as he remembered the little 'Oh!" he would always yelp whenever Iwaizumi kissed there. He wanted to hear it again, and soon. 

His next four kisses were all for his legs. One per calf, which he sneakily added in whilst stretching his impossibly long legs for the day, and one each to the inner thigh, a soft brush of lips against skin that was a tad more intimate than previously kisses. He kissed Tooru's thighs gently, admiring how they'd still retained a good amount of muscle even after being cooped up for so long, not noticing the slight shiver that raked down Tooru's motionless body, goosebumps now covering his pale skin. 

Four kisses left. 

Iwaizumi refused to panic, instead picking up Tooru's left hand. He thumbed his ring finger, before plating a very soft, delicate kiss there, just below the knuckle. "When you wake up, I think I might just put a ring on that finger." He said quietly moving his hand to cup Oikawa's face instead. "Then I'll be with you all the time, until you're sick of me. Just prove everyone else wrong, Tooru. Come back to me, please."

His next two were placed on either side of Oikawa's neck, one on each jugular. Iwaizumi knew he couldn't be imagining it when he felt Oikawa's pulse spike beneath his lips, as his heart monitor did a little jump, and Iwaizumi snorted, lightly punching him in the shoulder. "Subtle, Oikawa. Real subtle."

But then, it was the last day, and suddenly Iwaizumi didn't feel so strong anymore. Tooru's parents were already signing the legal forms and working out things with doctor Onodera, and he was left once again in that cold plastic chair, unable to tear his gaze for Tooru's peaceful face. He heaved a sigh, and felt as if he were ten years older than he actually was. He cleared his throat, deciding that in the off chance Tooru could hear, that he'd know these last things. 

"You know, Oikawa, I really don't know how I'm supposed to live without you. I can't remember a time when I wasn't with you, for Christ's sake. And it's been the hardest time of my life being in here with you. These six months, they've felt like six years, and it's killing me inside. I feel so guilty every time I look at you. I should've stayed, then you wouldn't be in this mess. You'd be alive and healthy and not stuck on some dumb bed for months. What kind of best friend am I? What kind of boyfriend am I? I couldn't save you in time, and now I'm going to loose you for good. Christ, Tooru, I-" Iwaizumi choked back a sob, and hung his head in his hands. "I love you so much. I love you more than anything I've ever loved in my life, and I can't loose you. I can't do it. We're a team."

He looked up then, reaching out to clasp Oikawa's hand in his. "I want you back. I miss you so much it fucking hurts, Oikawa. I want your shit jokes, I want your annoying clinginess, I want your whining, I want your trashtalk, I want your stupid immaturity, I want it all back. I just want to hear you call me Iwa-chan again. It's been six months since you called me that." He gave a short laugh, ignoring the tears spilling down his face. "A-and I just don't know what to do. I can't bring myself to accept this is the last day. I can't give you that last kiss, because if I do and you still don't wake up, then it's gonna feel like you've really left me, Tooru. I don't want that at all. I just want _you_. Please come back to me. Please, Oikawa, please..."

He laid his head against the mattress, beside Oikawa's hands. The tears were flowing down his face now, and his chest heaved with sobs, forceful ones that ripped the breath right from him. He wished he could stop, but it was as if someone had unleashed the dam in him, and now he had to let it all out. His breath hiccuped, and his tears slid off his face and onto the mattress, dampening it as he cried. 

"I love you. I want to be with you, Oikawa. Yeah, you're a pain in the ass, but you're _my_ pain in the ass. That's how it was supposed to be. Me and you, together. How can you leave me, you bastard? Just open your fucking eyes, just open them and come back to me, goddamnit! I just...I'll never find someone like you again, Tooru. I don't want to, either. It's only ever going to be you." His chest sagged as he sighed, the reality of it all washing over him like a tidal wave. He felt as if he were drowning, seaweed tangled round his ankles and refusing him the chance to escape for air. 

It was silent as he lay there, but he was used to that by now. He could almost feel himself drift off to sleep, when suddenly, a very tentative touch rested on his head, and his eyes flicked open immediately. 

"Oikawa?" He turned round, and sure enough, Oikawa's arm had risen, and was shakily resting on him, fingers weaving through the thick black hair. His eyes flitted up to Tooru's face, and he placed both hands on either side, his breath quickening. "Oikawa please, please just open your eyes. Please. Just show me that this is real."

Those eyelids twitched, and after a few painstakingly slow seconds, dragged open, and Iwaizumi was able to see the huge brown eyes he'd been missing for so long. 

He burst into tears again, and pulled Oikawa's body up to him, wrapping his arms around him and rocking, face nuzzled into Tooru's neck. 

The taller boy winced and patted Iwaizumi's back, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes to the light. He slid his mask off, taking a few tentative breaths of his own and deeming them suitable enough to continue without the mask. His gaze flicked up and he saw the stars, remembering how Iwaizumi had put them up for him. "Easy there, Iwa-chan. You're heavy, and an ugly crier."

Iwaizumi just laughed, cradling Oikawa's head softly, still unable to believe it was actually real. Oikawa had woken up and was in his arms, was breathing on his own and had called him Iwa-chan. He couldn't help the tears that ran down his face, not even when Oikawa drew back to wipe them away. Iwaizumi looked up, his face breaking into the biggest smile Oikawa had ever seen. "I missed you so much, you dumbass. Don't ever make me wait that long again."

"I love you, too, Iwa-chan." Tooru smiled, his voice slightly distorted from lack of use. "But you're forgetting something."

"What?" Iwaizumi couldn't even spare the time to remember his own name let alone what he'd forgotten, but he tried his best to focus his attention when Oikawa mentioned it. 

"There's one place you haven't kissed yet." He said matter of factly, before his lips stretched into that beautiful smile that Hajime had missed so much. 

Iwaizumi grabbed his face and crushed their lips together, his tears now mingling with Oikawa's. For once he didn't mind the crying, as for the first time in six months, he had something good to cry about. 

_At least the first thing I get to see is Iwa-chan._


End file.
